Meaning
substitute, ersatz
- an inferior substitute or replacement for something genuine
- a product manufactured to replace a scarce or costly ingredient
In a sentence
Questo prodotto economico è solo un surrogato del burro tradizionale.
This cheap product is only a substitute for traditional butter.
I social network offrono a volte un povero surrogato dell'amicizia vera.
Social networks sometimes offer a poor substitute for real friendship.
Non accontentarti di un surrogato quando puoi avere l'originale.
Don't settle for an imitation when you can have the real thing.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| surrogato | masculine · singular |
| surrogati | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Often carries a pejorative nuance, implying that the substitute is of lower quality than the original.
- Commonly used figuratively for superficial replacements of feelings or experiences.